Illinois species

Shovelnose Sturgeon in Illinois

Illinois shovelnose sturgeon: limit, record, stocking and waters.

  • no statewide rowlimit
  • 12 lbs 15 ozrecord
Piscifun LumiCat II catfish rodPick for sturgeonPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 $219.99

Photo of the species, not an Illinois water: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain

Illinois fish

shovelnose sturgeon across Illinois water

No line of the 2026 statewide digest table mentions shovelnose sturgeon. Site-specific entries for a given water can still set rules that cover it.

IDNR lists 12 lbs 15 oz as the hook and line mark, taken at Rock River in 2024.

no statewide rowstatewide
12 lbs 15 ozstate record
0water pages
0stocked 2021-26
Piscifun Chaos XS round baitcasterFor the sturgeon herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 $89.99
Records

Record shovelnose sturgeon on the IDNR list

DivisionWeightWaterCountyDate
hook and line12 lbs 15 ozRock RiverWhiteside CountyJanuary 4, 2024

IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.

Related fish

Other Illinois fish beside shovelnose sturgeon

Photos

Timber, cornfield and water around Shovelnose Sturgeon through a lens

Illinois River, Illinois
Illinois River
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fox Chain O' Lakes, Illinois
Fox Chain O' Lakes
Photo: Robert Lampros, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lake Shelbyville, Illinois
Lake Shelbyville
Photo: Dan, CC BY 2.0
Montrose Harbor, Illinois
Montrose Harbor
Photo: uptowner, CC BY 2.0
Answers

shovelnose sturgeon questions from cornfield ponds to the big river

What does IDNR allow per day for shovelnose sturgeon?

None of the 13 rows names it; site-specific entries still bind.

Does IDNR list a record shovelnose sturgeon?

12 lbs 15 oz from Rock River, 2024. Angler names are not printed.

Which Prairie State lake holds shovelnose sturgeon?

The Illinois lake and river pages here leave it off for now.

Do any Illinois waters set their own shovelnose sturgeon rule?

The site-specific list leaves it alone, apart from all-fish gear entries.

Were shovelnose sturgeon stocked in Illinois recently?

The IDNR stocking table leaves it out.

How much is an Illinois license to fish for shovelnose sturgeon?

Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).

Is there a bow record for shovelnose sturgeon in Illinois?

IDNR runs two lists: hook and line and bow and arrow. Its entries: 1 record row.

What does the IDNR outlook say about shovelnose sturgeon?

No IDNR fishing outlook on a lake page here rates it.

Line up a day on Illinois shovelnose sturgeon

Each water above lists its ramps and site-specific rules on its own page.